3 to 4 servings
Shewta Amin, 24, moved to Germantown earlier this year. Although she was raised in northern India, her curry reflects her roots from the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Laden with coconut and tamarind, it's typical of the coastal cuisine of the city of Mangalore in Karnataka. This curry is typically served with neer dosas -- specialized Indian crepes prepared with rice -- or plain steamed basmati rice.
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
Ellicott City resident Rashme Dhar uses yogurt, ginger and fennel powder in her chicken curry.
(Mark Finkenstaedt - For The Washington Post)
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Ingredients That Count
The following ingredients are common to many curry recipes. They can be found at Indian grocery stores, some specialty stores and at online spice purveyors, such as www.namaste.com, www.whitejasmine.com and www.penzeys.com.
GARAM MASALA (gah-RAHM mah-SAH-lah) An Indian spice blend with a warm, earthy flavor. Ingredients vary but may include black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel, ginger and nutmeg. Recipes for it are in every Indian cookbook.
TURMERIC (TER-muh-rihk) A potent coloring agent that imparts its yellowish color to curries and other spice blends.
CURRY POWDER An Indian spice blend that ranges from mild to hot. Curry powder labeled "Madras" tends to be quite hot. Ingredients vary but may include cardamom, chili peppers, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel, ginger, fenugreek, nutmeg, pepper, saffron and turmeric.
GREEN CARDAMOM PODS (KAR-duh-muhm) A member of the ginger family with an intensely warm, sweet flavor. Often called the Queen of Spices. The pods, containing black seeds, are used whole or ground. (Shy away from buying ground cardamom; it is best to grind it fresh.) Some stores carry white cardamom, which is a bleached version of green cardamom.
BLACK CARDAMOM PODS Less common than green cardamom. A more earthy, woodsy flavor. The pods are used whole to flavor a dish and are generally removed prior to serving.
TAMARIND (TAM-uh-rihnd) The exceptionally tart fruit of the tamarind pod. Used as a souring agent. Commonly available in a thick paste or concentrate.
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1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds* (may substitute brown or yellow mustard seeds)
5 or 6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 cup grated coconut (fresh or frozen)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 or 2 whole dried red chili peppers
1 tablespoon tamarind paste or concentrate
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1 1/2 pounds chicken pieces, bone-in and skin-on
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
8 to 10 curry leaves*
In a small, dry skillet over medium heat, toast the coriander, cumin and 1/2 teaspoon of the mustard seeds just until the spices begin to release their fragrance. Remove from the heat; transfer to a plate and set aside to cool.
In a food processor or using a mortar and pestle, grind the roasted spices until a powder forms. Add 3 to 5 cloves of garlic, onion, coconut, turmeric and chili peppers and process until a paste forms. Set aside.
In a bowl, combine the tamarind paste, salt and 1/4 cup of water until smooth. (May need to use additional water.) Stir into the coconut-onion paste to obtain a smooth consistency. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat the sauce for 5 to 7 minutes, until the water evaporates completely and the sauce thickens.
Add the chicken pieces and cook, turning occasionally, until the chicken is fully cooked, about 25 minutes.
Add the remaining 1/2 cup of water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat; remove and discard the cloves of garlic.
Heat the oil in a small skillet on medium heat. Add the remaining clove(s) of garlic and sauté until the garlic changes color, about 1 minute. Add the curry leaves and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of mustard seeds and cook, stirring frequently, until the seeds begin to pop.
Pour the spiced oil mixture over the chicken. Serve hot.
NOTE: Black mustard seeds are smaller and more potent than yellow ones. Fresh curry leaves resemble small bay leaves and have a fragrance reminiscent of limes. These ingredients are available at Indian, Asian and some specialty grocers.
Per serving (based on 4): 351 calories, 27 gm protein, 7 gm carbohydrates, 24 gm fat, 95 mg cholesterol, 10 gm saturated fat, 679 mg sodium, 2 gm dietary fiber
Monica Bhide is the author of "The Spice Is Right: Easy Indian Cooking for Today" (Callawind Publications, 2001) and "The Everything Indian Cookbook" (Adams Media, 2004). Her Web site is www.monicabhide.com.
